A police officer visits Ro Chom Brong who used to be a member of the Fulro reactionary group. (Photo: Ngoc Anh/VOV5)

In the early 2000s, Gia Lai province piloted a model of managing and educating former Fulro members within the community, involving the entire political system and citizenry. The model has succeeded in stabilizing the local political situation, security, and social order.

The number of people managed under the model has dropped from 5,000 in 2005 to 1,000. 70% of them have been deemed on good behavior for at least 1 year.

“We’ve invited people who have left Vietnam to live in the US to say what life there is like. Is it true that you don’t have to do anything, but you still have food to eat? Those are the most persuasive examples, said Colonel Nguyen Ngoc Son, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Public Security.

"We’ve asked people who participated in anti-government riots or protests and were dealt with by the legal system to tell the truth about their lives. We’ve organized dialogues via telephone, Zalo, or Facebook to allow people in Gia Lai to talk to the leaders of so-called hostile forces in the US so they can truly understand the situation. The approach has reduced the local impact of outside forces,” he said. 

Over the past 5 years, Gia Lai has held 330 classes for misguided people to help them understand Fulro's malicious intent to divide Vietnam’s great national unity, help them keep their mind on being productive, and keep them from returning to criminal activity.

“I was wrong to have illegally emigrated to the US. Now I’ve returned to my hometown. The State has helped me set up a business. I’m grateful for the Party and State’s assistance,” said Ha Bau villager Ksor Hir of the Jrai ethnic group.

Gia Lai now has nearly 1,500 households with members being managed and educated under the community model and benefiting from the State's support policies and programs.

Ha Bau commune , which has many residents who used to be Fulro members, leads in helping misguided people.

“We’ve worked closely with the Vietnam Fatherland Front and other organizations to understand and meet the aspirations of these misguided people and get them to participate in training courses to learn how to apply technology to growing crops and raising animals," said Y Hieu, Deputy Chairman of the commune People’s Committee.

"The commune has provided seedlings and breeding stock to any who are disadvantaged. Now they feel good about developing their family’s economy.”

A seminar on socio-economic development in Ha Bau commune. (Photo: Ngoc Anh/VOV5)

Dak Doa district has helped 12 people find a stable job. The Vietnam Bank for Social Policies of Dak Doa has enabled the families of 25 people who have completed a prison sentence to secure 20,000 USD in production and business loans.

The district police have established a club called “Helping each other” in Ia Bang commune and created a Facebook page that posts job information for those people.

Another Jrai ethnic man named Pui Nam, who lives in Ia Der commune, told VOV that, thanks to the local government’s help, his living conditions have improved significantly.

“I crossed the border illegally and was imprisoned for 1 year and 9 months. The district has helped me set up a business. Since 2007 my 6-member band has been playing for weddings and parties. I have 4 children, one of whom is disabled. The State has helped us obtain benefits for children with disabilities,” Pui Nam recalled.

A number of misguided people in Gia Lai province have become role models in economic development. Cao Van Quyen of Adok commune, for example, earns 4,400 USD a month from propagating and selling orchids.